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Williams Sworn In As New Judicial Commissioner

Cannon County General Sessions Court Judge Susan Melton swore in local attorney Kyle Williams as the county's newest Judicial Commissioner during a ceremony at the Cannon County Courthouse Tuesday, July 19.

The primary duties of Judicial Commissioners are the issuance of search warrants and felony arrest warrants upon a finding of probable cause and pursuant to requests from on-duty law enforcement officers.

Other duties include the setting and approving of bonds and the release on recognizance of defendants in accordance with applicable law and guidelines established by the presiding general sessions judge of a county; and the issuance of injunctions and other appropriate orders as designated by the general sessions judges in cases of alleged domestic violence.

Standing in the background is Nathan Jennings, whose place Williams took as a Judicial Commissioner. Jennings is now working the the Circuit Court Clerk's Office. Jennings will continue to handle Judicial Commissioner duties on a limited basis.

As the story indicates, Mr. Williams is an attorney. I guess it can be assumed he does not believe being a Judicial Commissioner will interfere with his business or else he would not have accepted the position. I have been informed by persons other than Mr. Williams that, to their knowledge, he does not practice criminal law, and has not represented anyone in General Sessions Court. Also worth noting is that in Tennessee's four largest counties, state law requires Judicial Commissioners to be attorneys.